Tom Gutteridge Appointed CEO, FremantleMedia North America

January 28, 2004 09:48 PM Eastern Standard Time

LONDON & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 28, 2004--FremantleMedia, one of the leading international production companies, has appointed Tom Gutteridge to the newly created role of CEO of FremantleMedia North America, its US production operation. Gutteridge was, until earlier this month, the Group Creative Director of The Television Corporation, one of the larger independent television production companies in the UK. He will be based in Los Angeles in his new role, which will be effective immediately, and will report to Catherine Mackay, FremantleMedia's Regional CEO, USA, Australasia and Asia.

FremantleMedia's production operation in the USA ranges from the smash hit "American Idol," now on its third series broadcast on Fox, to "The Price is Right," now in its 32nd year on CBS. Other production credits include "Family Feud," now in its fourth year of syndication, dating makeover show "Date Patrol" (TLC) and cable programs like "Beat the Clock" and "Whammy!"

At The Television Corporation, Gutteridge has led a highly successful expansion of the organization's production activities into North America. This has already resulted in the 30-part reality series "Paradise Hotel" for Fox, the forthcoming "Forever Eden," another 25-part reality series for Fox, and a major new reality project for another US network. Gutteridge has been leading the Los Angeles production teams as Executive Producer. He takes up his new post full-time following the production of "Forever Eden" in the spring. Gutteridge has also executive produced "Challenge America," a special for ABC, and "Robot Wars USA" for Nickelodeon.

Previously, Gutteridge was CEO of Mentorn, one of the UK's most respected independent production companies, which he founded in 1985. Mentorn, which was acquired by The Television Corporation in 2000, has produced such major UK programs as cult youth series "Robot Wars" (BBC2), "Question Time" (BBC1), "Star for a Night" (BBC1) and "Challenge Anneka" (BBC1), along with many other entertainment, factual and drama programs. Gutteridge joined Mentorn from the BBC in the UK, where he was an Executive Producer of Music and Arts, having originally started his career at the corporation as a BBC News Trainee.

In 1996, Gutteridge won an Emmy for the two-hour BBC drama "The Bullion Boys," of which he was Executive Producer. He previously received an Emmy nomination for Best Arts Documentary in 1989 for his documentary on animator Richard Williams, "I Drew Roger Rabbit." Other achievements during his distinguished career as a director and producer of arts and entertainment programming include nine British Academy of Film & Television Awards nominations (BAFTAs) for the BBC1 dance series "The Hot Shoe Show." Gutteridge is the former Chairman of the UK's Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) and formerly Deputy Chairman of The Royal Television Society in the UK.

Catherine Mackay, FremantleMedia's Regional CEO, USA, Australasia and Asia, comments: "Tom brings significant experience to FremantleMedia North America, having founded and successfully run his own production company for over 15 years. He also has an outstanding track record in developing and launching new prime time entertainment shows, many of which have traveled overseas. We are incredibly pleased to have someone with such considerable creative and business experience heading up our US operation."

Tony Cohen, CEO FremantleMedia, adds: "We are thrilled that Tom is joining FremantleMedia as CEO of our North American company. In the last couple of years, our US operation has had a fantastic production track record. Under Tom's creative leadership we plan to build on this achievement to become a major source of new programming, not just for the US, but also for our network of production companies around the world."

Tom Gutteridge states: "I am privileged to be joining such a vibrant and powerful production company and such a talented team in America. FremantleMedia North America has really strong credentials in entertainment programming and this is an extremely exciting time to be joining the company. I look forward to building on the company's many achievements, and to bringing other prime time entertainment programming to the US and international marketplace."

Notes to editors:

FremantleMedia is one of the largest international producers of entertainment and drama programmes in the world, producing more than 260 programs in 40 countries. The company's division FremantleMedia Enterprises incorporates Fremantle International Distribution (FID) and FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide (FLW). FID distributes 19,000 hours of programs to 150 countries worldwide, while FLW is responsible for the company's merchandising, licensing, home entertainment, telephony and interactive operations worldwide. FremantleMedia is the content production arm of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, with interests in 23 television channels and 22 radio stations in nine European countries. RTL Group is part of Bertelsmann AG, an integrated media and entertainment company that commands leading positions in the world's major media markets.